• Central Arizona Project
• City of Aurora
• City of Phoenix
• City and County of San Francisco
• Denver Water
• East Bay Municipal Utility District
• Las Vegas Valley Water District
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• San Diego County Water Authority
• Santa Clara Valley Water District
• Seattle Public Utilities
• Southern Nevada Water Authority
• Truckee Meadows Water Authority

City of Phoenix Issues

The city of Phoenix, with its desert location, is a leader in water conservation and groundwater management. In addition, the city has been proactive in diversifying its portfolio to meet current and future customer demands during both normal and drought conditions.

Conservation

The city has implemented several very successful wide-ranging conservation programs since enactment of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act in 1980. Conservation initiatives include:

Water—Use It Wisely
The chief public information campaign, “Water—Use It Wisely,” is a program that was put together in cooperation with other cities in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The campaign has won numerous local and national awards.

Xeriscape
The city's xeriscape and irrigation workshops have been instrumental in reducing the number of lawns and water-intensive landscaping installed with new homes. A 1999 study showed that 70 percent of new homes installed xeriscapes, up from 20 percent in 1985.

Project WET
Water Education for Teachers is a program to teach classroom teachers about water. This “train the teacher” program is contracted to the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center.

School Assembly Programs
Also through the University of Arizona, performances of the Arizona Puppet Theater about water conservation for primary grades, as well as an assembly-type water conservation magic show performed by “Abracadabra” for upper level elementary school students.

Water Audits
Water audits for industrial, institutional, commercial, and multi-family water customers provide “how-to” on-site audits of water use and recommendations about how to conserve in a cost-effective manner. Recent efforts have focused on water conservation in restaurants in regards to low-water use dishwashing equipment.

Plumbing Upgrades
Phoenix promotes the installation of water conserving hardware in older homes and requires such hardware in new construction through building codes. Most of the plumbing repair and upgrades are achieved through partnerships with either other city entities, community-based organizations or state and federal agencies.

Enhanced Water Conservation Program
In 2006, the city committed to target new development and outdoor water use within existing development. For new development the city will focus on the following three programs:

• Examine potential for new ordinances.
• Advanced landscape professional training program.
• Study water saving opportunities for turf areas between 5 and 10 acres in size.

In addition, the following four programs will be implemented to target customers with above average water use:

• Expand marketing program.
• Refocus workshop training programs to individual self-help offerings.
• Implement a restaurant high-pressure pre-rinse nozzle giveaway or rebate program.
• Continue and expand the city’s low income retrofit program.
  

Research
Sponsorship and active participation in basic research focused on identifying new technologies, methods and/or products for water conservation. Research cooperators have included Arizona State University, University of Arizona, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Research Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The Impact of Water Conservation Measures in Phoenix
Water conservation efforts have been effective in slowing the growth of demand for water in Phoenix. The population of the Phoenix metropolitan area increased from 1,452,305 in 1980 to 2,696,315 in 1998; an increase of 86 percent. During the same period, municipal water use in the Phoenix metropolitan area increased from 528,000 acre-feet (AF) to 718,483 AF, an increase of only 36 percent. The lowering of overall water consumption by residents and businesses shows what impact can be made by implementing a multi-strategy water conservation program.

Groundwater Management

The city of Phoenix lies within the Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA), one of several water planning and regulatory areas established by the legislature through the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act (or “Groundwater Code”). This comprehensive legislation and associated regulations establish groundwater rights, conservation requirements, subdivision “assured water supply” standards and a host of other features designed to protect groundwater supplies which have been “overdrafted” in the area. The key goal established by the Groundwater Code for the Phoenix AMA is “safe-yield” by the year 2025.

In keeping with this goal, the city of Phoenix is actively involved in groundwater management. In cooperation with other local agencies, the city engages in groundwater recharge and groundwater savings activities. In addition, groundwater usage has been reduced from approximately 35 percent of the Phoenix water supply in 1984 to only 3 percent today in a normal supply (non-drought) year.

The city of Phoenix actively participates in research and regional coordination efforts examining the groundwater situation in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. In addition, the city is embarking on a groundwater management study to identify the volume of groundwater (including recovered recharge credits) and the number of wells needed to: 1) meet demands under moderate drought conditions; 2) provide necessary operating system flexibility (to meet peak demands), and 3) maintain a reasonable volume of water to customers during system emergencies. The study will also incorporate needs for recharge within the service area, and will assess and prescribe means for best managing available reclaimed water supplies.

Portfolio Diversification

Phoenix’s water resources are affected by a wide variety of influences within the region, the state and the Southwest. Issues and uncertainties regarding growth, drought planning, Colorado River operations, water quality standards, aquifer management, the Endangered Species Act, water recycling, water importation, desalination, climate variability, and numerous other factors contribute to an extremely dynamic environment in which water planning decisions are made.

Phoenix relies on four primary water supply sources. The availability of each water supply is governed by unique hydrologic, legal and institutional factors. Surface water is generated from two different watershed areas. The Salt River Project (SRP) supplies water from the Salt and Verde rivers to eligible lands within the Phoenix service area. The remainder of the service area is supplied primarily by Colorado River water delivered by the Central Arizona Project (CAP). Groundwater wells and reclaimed water make up the remainder of the city’s water supplies.

In recent years and over past decades, the city of Phoenix has taken decisive actions in acquiring and managing water resources to provide for the city’s future. The result of these efforts has positioned the city of Phoenix to respond to growth and drought-related challenges. The efforts of city water managers will ensure the long-term reliability of Phoenix’s water supply for the benefit of current and future generations.